Scary! In just two hours, the microplastics we eat can enter our brain!

Plastic fragments with a diameter of less than 5 mm are usually called "microplastics". Their extremely small size makes it difficult for us to notice their existence. However, they are quite harmful to the human body.

New research on mice shows that microplastic particles can cross the blood-brain barrier and enter the brain just 2 hours after being ingested, according to a study published in Nanomaterials by an international scientific team.

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Some microplastic particles can penetrate the intestinal tract and blood-brain barrier in a relatively short period of time.

Researchers say plastic particles in the brain may increase the risk of inflammation, neurological disorders, and even neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.[1]

01

Microplastics have been detected in these parts of the human body

In addition to the brain, many studies in recent years have confirmed that microplastics have "invaded" many parts of the human body.

1. Blood

In 2022, a study published in the authoritative journal Environment International showed that microplastics were found in the blood of subjects. This also means that microplastics may have spread to various organs of the human body, posing a great health risk. [2]

2. Stomach

In 2018, the European Association of Gastroenterology reported for the first time that up to nine types of microplastics were detected in human feces, with diameters ranging from 50 microns to 500 microns. This suggests that microplastics can reach the human stomach and intestines and may affect the digestive system. [3]

3. Lungs

An article published in the 2022 "Chinese School Health" by Li Mingju and others from the School of Public Health of China Medical University pointed out that the air sampling results of the human body model showed that a lightly active male can inhale nearly 300 microplastic particles per day.

Pathological examination of lung cancer tissue and adjacent lung tissue specimens from patients with lung cancer has revealed the presence of cellulose and plastic microfibers.[4]

4. Placenta

A study published in the authoritative journal Environment International in 2020 showed that researchers tested the placentas of six healthy pregnant women and found "microplastic particles" of 5 to 10 microns in size in four of the placentas [5], indicating that microplastics can affect the human body through the placental barrier.

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02

It’s urgent to reduce plastic waste!

As individuals, we should also pay attention to reducing the use of plastic products in our daily lives.

1. Use less plastic bags

After a trip to the supermarket or a stroll through the vegetable market, you come back with a bunch of plastic bags in your hands. It seems convenient and saves trouble, but in fact, you have created more plastic waste!

When you go out to buy groceries, bring a woven bag or a cloth bag, which is both hygienic and economical.

2. Order less takeout

What are takeaway boxes made of? Most are made of plastic! Not to mention whether hot food will produce harmful substances when it comes into contact with plastic, how much plastic waste do you put in with a takeaway meal every day!

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3. Use less straws

Using one less straw can also help reduce plastic waste.

4. Don’t litter plastic products

Don’t throw plastic bottles and plastic bags around randomly. Put them in designated trash cans and hand them over to a specialized environmental sanitation department for unified disposal. This will reduce pollution to the environment and the probability of harming yourself.

5. It is best to choose biodegradable plastic

"Plastic restrictions" and "plastic bans" cannot completely eliminate the use of plastic. If you must use it, choose degradable ones to reduce the pollution of ordinary plastics to the environment.

This article is compiled from:

[1]Micro- and Nanoplastics Breach the Blood–Brain Barrier (BBB): Biomolecular Corona's Role Revealed. Nanomaterials 2023, 13(8), 1404; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13081404

[2]Heather A. Leslie, Martin JM van Velzen, Sicco H. Brandsma, Dick Vethaak, Juan J. Garcia-Vallejo, Marja H. Lamoree, Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood, Environment International, 2022, 107199, ISSN 0160-4120.

[3]EurekAlert, Microplastics discovered in human stools across the globe in 'first study of its kind'

[4] Li Mingju, Li Zhuo, Bai Yinglong, Jia Lihong, Sun Wei, Pan Guowei, Yan Lingjun, Yang Zuosen. Impact of microplastics on children's health[J]. Chinese Journal of School Health, 2022, 43(2): 316-320. doi: 10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2022.02.036

[5]Ragusa A, Svelato A,Santacroce C, et al. Plasticenta: First evidence of microplastics in human placenta[J]. Environment International, 146. DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106274.

Source: Health Times

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